Robots/Drones and Dual/Quad/Multi Wielding

[Ifandbut]

I recently purchased Traveller ROBOTS (rather than Book 9: Robots) as everything I'v read makes it seem like it is a better book.

I built 2 robots with it. One I envision as a mobile grav turet I call "Scout Drones". The other I view as a low mobility walker defender I call "Security Spiders". The Scout Drones have 2x Gauss Carbines. The Security Spider has 2x Advanced Combat Carbine and a Heavy Gauss Sniper. Weapons from the CSC. Both robots have the combat software at level 2 as they are only TL13 robots.

I am wondering how I should handle firing more than one weapon at a time from these robots. Looking at the Fire Control software for ships the book says:

Allows the computer to fire a number of weapons per round equal to the listed number. Alternatively, it can give a positive DM to an attack equal to the listed number, or any combination of the two.

I am thinking of applying the same rule to the robots. With combat/2 they could fire one weapon with a +2 modifier or fire 2 weapons with a +0 modifier. I was also thinking of increasing the recoil by +1 per extra weapon fired.

Am I on the right track or am I crazy?

 

[steventirey1985]

Firing a weapon is a skill check. According to the core rulebook, for every extra thing you try to at once, you recieve a -2 DM to the check. So firing two weapons gives a -2 DM to both attack rolls, while 3 weapons would be a -4 DM to all 3 attacks.

At least for a person.

 

[bookwyrm]

dungeon & dragons had two weapon fighting for using 2 weapons at the same time, and for beings with more than 2 limbs, multiweapon fighting. one weapon would be designated the primary weapon, and all the others would be the off hand weapons. the penalties are the same for multiweapn as for two weapon fighting. so base penalty is -6 primary, -10 all other weapons, if all fired at same time. with the multiweapon feat, -4 primary, -8 all others. ambidexterity feat would make the off hand penalty -4(better, so the previus would be -4 primary, -4 all others, with ambidexterity, -2 primary, -2 all others) i can't remember, but the multiweapon required two weapon fighting as a prerequisite, i think. also, i think if a robot had all personal,all vehicle weapons, or a mix, that would affect the penalties also. plus the size of the robot using the weapons would affect the penalties also. think halflings, humans, ogres, giants. but only if you want to go that deep for the penalties, instead of keeping it simple. ahh, just looked around, and found perfect multiweapon fighting too. i guess if you wanted to fight with more than 2 weapons, it takes a lot more feats, but in a sci-fi game, you could cut a few corners on the feats. oh no! too much info! lol

 

[infojunky]

I can't give a "Official" answer, but I can tell y'all how I would handle it.

Bots with multiple identical weapons, I would treat the entire installation of those weapons as a Higher ROF single weapon. Then use the Autofire rules for engaging multiple targets.

As for the one with two different weapons I would follow the multi action penalties i.e. -2 per extra action.

Also Note the Computer rules in the Equipment section, The starships section, 13Manns Robots, the MgT Robots books where all written by different people at different times, and as such don't mesh very well. So What I am trying to say is you get to wing it alot when dealing with Bots and Computers in general...

 

[McPerth]

I am thinking of applying the same rule to the robots. With combat/2 they could fire one weapon with a +2 modifier or fire 2 weapons with a +0 modifier. I was also thinking of increasing the recoil by +1 per extra weapon fired.

See that in a ship, fire control 2 would allow a +2 DM to one gunner, to auto fire 2 weapons or to auto fire 1 weapon with a +1 DM.

So, if using the combat/2 in the same way on a robot, it would allow it to either fire a weapon with a +1 DM or to fire 2 weapons without any DM. Of course, there's no gunner to help with a +2 DM...

 

[Ifandbut]

Bots with multiple identical weapons, I would treat the entire installation of those weapons as a Higher ROF single weapon. Then use the Autofire rules for engaging multiple targets.

How much higher should the auto be? Say the robot is firing 2 weapons with an auto of 4 and recoil of 1. Should the total be auto 8 (2x) recoil 2 or auto 6 (1.5x) recoil 2?

As for the one with two different weapons I would follow the multi action penalties i.e. -2 per extra action.

Ya, that was another idea I was thinking of. In this case, the software would have to give it's full bonus to each gun while also taking the -2 to each gun (if just shooting 2 weapons) to be worth it. But that is how it would work for a non-robot character I guess.

Also Note the Computer rules in the Equipment section, The starships section, 13Manns Robots, the MgT Robots books where all written by different people at different times, and as such don't mesh very well. So What I am trying to say is you get to wing it alot when dealing with Bots and Computers in general...

I know 13Manns was done by different people but I also thought it was written for MGT and not some other version of Traveller. I did not think that the starship and computer sections would be incompatible because they are in the same book.

See that in a ship, fire control 2 would allow a +2 DM to one gunner, to auto fire 2 weapons or to auto fire 1 weapon with a +1 DM.

So, if using the combat/2 in the same way on a robot, it would allow it to either fire a weapon with a +1 DM or to fire 2 weapons without any DM. Of course, there's no gunner to help with a +2 DM...

You are correct there. Maybe I was reading something a bit different in the 13Manns book but I should use that method to keep things consistent.

Thanks for all the feedback so far.